What Really Is the Mockingbird?

What exactly do you think the mockingbird of this story is? Is it the innocence of the children in the racist South? Is it Tom Robinson, Scout, Boo Radley? Are there many or few? What exactly qualifies these people/things to be mockingbirds?

Why Do You Do That?

Some people cover up who they really are just so people will talk about them. So people will have something to talk about. A good example would be Mr. Dolphus Raymond. He carries around a paper sack and the folks of Maycomb assume that it is alcohol. When it is, in fact, just regular Coca-cola. He does not drink.He comes to town acting like he is drunk to give soemthing to talk about.
The reason Dolphus Raymond carried it around was because he thinks that it is a good reason to "give em hell". Them refers to Maycomb County.
It really makes you think about our society and the way people really are. I mean people do things and say things and act a certain way just so they are talked aboult. This is especailly something that happens in high school. People do things just for attention. But I guess thats just the way people want to live their lives.
Like Mr. Raymond said "They could never- never understand that I live like I do because that's the way I like to live."(201).
=] just something for yall to think about.

Call me Cliche..Theme

The theme coming of age actually made this cook mroe interesting i think. watching these two kids growing up in a small town and just watching them mature, and learn somehow made the book more interesting i thought. i also really liked how you see that if you have don't judge kids and try to teach them wisdom at a young age liek Atticus did, you see how amture Scout and Jem become at such a young age. they start alreayd understanding racism, how people act, how kids can be judged, at such a young age they already understand topics some people are trying to still figure out in highschool. what do you all think about this???? But i liked seeing them mature in this book and just watching two kids in an older society and how they lived. overall this book may not have been exciting but parts were interesting and it ended up not being completely boring and had some good points

How Has the Trial Changed the Characters?

Scout started out as a younge girl who knows nothing about the world outside her own, but now she is very aware of the world. She has changed in so many ways because of the trial. I wonder if she would have changed so much even if the trial never happened? She has learned that your skin has everything to do with living. Blacks have to work hard just to live and survive. Scout now understands this , but would she have know it just as soon if there was no trial?

Better Late Than Never

I have been reading this story under the impression that dear old Aunty Alexandra was someone to dread. I never fully got her importance until i was reading Chapter 24, during the ladies' meeting, that I realized that she is, in fact, a lady.
Now being a lady doesn't only mean you wear pretty clothes, always smell nice, speak swetly and so on. Being a lady means you stand up for what is right for your name, you always support your kin, you deal with things in the proper manner. Generally a lady puts on a show for everyone that she has a background as is proud of it, dwindling though it may be.
Aunty had a change at heart. We saw a softer side of her in chapter twenty four with the death of Tom Robinson. Ever since that change has occurred, Alexandra has seemed wiser and more sincere. I think her purpose for being in the story has finally showed itself. And quite frankly, I'm glad.

Who killed the mockingbird?

When you think of Tom Robinson as a mockingbird of the story and how it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Who killed the mockingbird? Did the guards kill the mockingbird, did Tom kill himself when he tried to run. Or is Maycolm county to blame for killing the mockingbird by convicting him guilty.

The Right to a Fair Trial and a Jury of Your Peers

Does anyone else think that the result of the trial had something to do with the fact that there were Cunninghams on the jury? It's like Jem said, "Can't any Christain judges an' lawyers make up for heathen juries..." It just doesn't seem like Tom was set up for a fair trial.

Forgetting

After the trial ends and Tom Robinson dies, everyone in Maycomb County seems to forget all about it. School begins again for Scout and Jem, and they once again think about the Radleys. It's almost as if the trial never took place. Why do you think all of Maycomb chooses to forget? Are they ashamed of what the jury said? Thoughts anyone?

Mayella

Mayella Ewell is not one of the brightest charcters in the book. Nor is she one of the most beloved. But, I find myself feeling pity for her throughout her questioning. Anyone else getting this from her?

Ms. Maudie's flowers

Some believe that Maudie's flowers are an act of vanity.
"He that cometh in vanity departeth in darkness!"

If one really wanted to "worship" or "praise" God wouldn't they have appreciation for the beautiful world he created. To me Maudie seems more godly than the people who criticize her. In my opinion telling people their eternal destiny in a hostile way is not exactly "what Jesus would do" Maudie loves her flowers. She appreciates their beauty and they bring her joy. One must consider these things. In life, you must weigh what you personally beilive and what it the norm.

Why is Aunt Alexandria still around?

Aunt Alexandria is probably staying with the Finch's to try and preserve their family reputation, since Atticus is "ruining" it with the Tom Robinson case. She is also probably trying to influence the kids so that they won't grow up to do the same. Why is Atticus still putting up with her? Why is he keeping her around? Is he overwhelmed with the task of being a single father and going to court with such a serious case? Aunt Alexandria repeatedly undermines the way Atticus is raising the kids, and expresses her views on how wrong he was to take the Tom Robinson case. She might be helping with keeping the kids under control, but it seems to me she is doing more harm than good.

Parental Concern

Does anyone else find the fact that Mr. Ewell was "concerned" about his daughter's condition after he "found" her, but he didn't call a doctor because she was "pretty well beat up" strange? And he is left-handed. Does anyone else think that is suspicious?

Unequality

So it's really bugging me that the Ewells are lieing. It kills me to have to read about a man that is innocent and see everyone around him hating him. It's just not right. The one thing that bothers me when there is a case against a negro man the white people always count him guilty no matter what. They honestly don't give the negro man a chance even if the facts point him to being innocent. I'm just glad there are people out there that will stand up for what they think is right, such as Atticus.

Aunt Alexandra

Why is this lady so strict on the kids. I mean, i understand how she would like for children to be respectful and very mature. But kids don't go and read in their spare time, they don't embroider on a handkerchief? When I was younger i was outside playing and having no worries. Aunt Alexandra definatly doesn't want them to be foolish or make stupid mistakes. What about that saying that "you learn from your mistakes?" I definatly wouldn't want my kids to no live a boring childhood! Of course I would expect them to mind me, but I wouldn't be too strict so that they had no fun...

Tomboy

Why does Scout's aunt insist that the turn into a lady? It really is not terrible that Scout behaves like a boy. She has lived with men her whole life. She does not have a mother image in her life to look up to. She does know how a girl should act or dress. I think Scout's aunt should realize this and realize that Scout is too old now to try to change. She needs to let Scout be herself.

Mr. Ewell?

Does anyone else find it ironic that the court is taking what Mr. Ewell said at the trial so seriously? Outside the court, everyone knew them as cheaters and liars, but when they were in court, everyone believed him. This seems very ironic to me.

Maturity is a Wonderful Thing

Much like Jem and Scout, this book is meant to help you the reader grow in someway; maybe you will learn that there are people out there is the world-heck! maybe in your own classsroom who are different from you and who are being judged unfairly because of their appearance or their personality or their intelligence. Just as Jem realizes that his views of Mrs. Dubose were biased, maybe you will realized that there are those in the world who suffer silently because of the cruelty of the people around them. You don't always know the kind of suffering that the kid sitting next to you deals with. We don't know what Boo Radley has to deal with within his house. Regardless of whether you like this book or not, you should be mature enough to understand what prejudice is and how it can manifest itself in many different ways.

So with that in mind, either start blogging intelligently or get off the blog! We shouldn't have to waste our time reading through 68 comments of stupid bickering, hoping to find something intelligent to read.

Music of a Mockingbird

What do you think would be the best music for this book? Would it be folk or some kind of old time-y rock? Or maybe some kind of Scottish bagpipe music? Any ideas?

The reasoning behind this post is that music could help to give people a better overall feel for the book.

The image of acceptance and wisdom Atticus portrays

I really like Atticus. Alot of the people in this book seem to be old school families, or harsh, or view kids as immature and don't think they can learn, stuff like that. But Atticus looks for every option to teach Scout life lessons and he treats his kids like they are older than they are. He is very wise and is a great father figure. There is still the things about them not calling him dad, which i do wonder about. But going back to what i was saying Atticus really stands out as a person of wisdom. And it really bothers me how alot of the other people judge kids and it shows how much judgement and they thought everyone was the same and social classes were always the same. He is the "needle in the Haystack" said by my fellow blogger charliesangels

Mrs. Dubose

Why do you think Mrs. Dubose tries so hard to insult Jem and Scout. I know that she is addicted to morphine and trying to break the habit, which makes her irritable, but why Jem and Scout? Why not their father? Why not Jessie, her daughter? Is for the simple pleasure of being cruel, feeling joy for someone else's pain? I don't think it is. Maybe Mrs. Dubose just tried to aggravate them, so she could trap them into coming to read to her? Any thoughts?

The Mocking Bird

In chapter 10 on page 90 Ms. Maudie is the first character in the
book to talk about killing a mockingbird. She explains to Scout how
it's a sin "to kill a mockingbird." I think this might be foreshadowing
significant events later in the story?

ol' one shot

What is going on here with atticus? all of a sudden he could shoot. In the story it says that atticus hates guns. but why is it that the officer rely on him to shoot the dog? and how could he do it so perfectly? and why wouldn't he tell his kids about it? and why would he stop?


so many questions.

:)

It's not time...

Every time Scout starts to worry about something, either Atticus or Jem says, "It's not time to worry yet." Jem says this when Scout worries about the fires, and Atticus says it on several occasions. It calms Scout down, and really shows how much she trusts her family. But I feel like it is foreshadowing maybe a time when they will have to worry...maybe the case her father is working on?

Atticus reading the Newspaper

Have you noticed how at the end of almost all the chapters and important paragraphs it always ends with Atticus reading something. For example when Jem learned his lesson about Mrs. Dubose.

Overall View...

So far the book is intreguing...(sp?) i like the plot but its still hard to read just becuase some of the vocabulary is a little rediculos..but hey whay reward winning books isnt?

DIE!

I STILL DONT KNOW HOW TO KILL A FREAKIN MOCKING BIRD! I mean seriously! Its the tenth chapter and it hasnt even come up once! Cause i got this really annoying mocking bird outside my window and it wakes me up every morning and that stupid creature really needs to DIE already!

Miss caroline.DIE.

For some reason Miss Caroline just BUGS me ....any one feel the same ?

Fire!

Do you think the fire was significant? How did it start? Was it purposeful or an accident? When Scout and Jem ask Miss Maudie, she says "Probably the flue in the kitchen. I kept a fire in there last night for my potted plants" (73). This suggests that it was an accident, but maybe there's another explanation...

Random Acts of Kindness

Does anyone else think that Boo has been looking out for the kids? He gives Scout a blanket during the fire, I'm positive that he was leaving things in the tree for the children (Really, why else would Mr. Nathan plug up the hole?), and I think he sewed up Jem's pants when he lost them in the garden. I think he is just really shy and maybe autistic and he wants to make friends with the kids. Is anyone else thinking this?